Music in-print can be purchased by hittin' the links provided.

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Summary: In their seventeen-year recording history, Freakwater have released seven full-length albums, three singles, one live album, and ten more tracks which appear on other releases. Side and solo projects and other peripherals are also included in this discography.

1989

Freakwater LP (Amoeba, out of print)
1. Miner Song (Irwin)
2. Childish Love (Ira & Charlie Louvin)
3. Lonesome Sound (M. O'Bannon)
4. Family Tradition (Irwin/Bean)
5. The Great Titanic (traditional)
6. Blue Eyes (Irwin)
7. Ballad Of Freakwater (Irwin/Bean)
8. A Mile Away (Irwin)
9. Albert C. Samson (Bean)
10. (forty seconds of country pickin')
Ten tracks from a band just cutting their teeth. No real stunners, but if you're really in love with Freakwater, songs like "Family Tradition", which is not Hank Jr.'s redneck anthem, and "Miner Song" make this record a keeper. Catherine writes two songs of romantic longing, "Blue Eyes" and "A Mile Away", and then never, EVER touches on that theme again (well, this was true until "Hex" from Catherine's 2002 release, Cut Yourself a Switch, came along).

One thousand copies of Freakwater were produced initially, five hundred more repressed later. Here are the liner notes from the back cover: "Photo by Marty Perez Painting by Catherine Irwin Freakwater is Catherine Ann Irwin (guitar and vocals) and Janet Beveridge Bean (guitar, vocals and bongos) Freakwater was helped most immeasurably by John Spiegal (dobro, lap steel and electric slide guitar) Dave Gay (upright bass) Dan Scanlon (violin) Peter Searcy (cello) Wink O'Bannon (slide acoustic guitar) and James Bond (backing vocals on The Great Titanic) This record was recorded, with the exception of Blue Eyes, at James Bond's studio in Chicago, Illinois, during June and July of 1988. It was engineered by James Bond and Robbie Drinkwater and mixed by Michael Freeman at Shortorder Studios in Zion, Illinois. Blue Eyes was recorded at the Artists Recording Service in Louisville Kentucky in March of 1989 and was engineered and mixed by Wink O'Bannon. I think maybe we have already thanked everyone until they're pretty much sick of it, but thanks again anyway. . ."

On January 3rd, 2006, a copy of this LP sold on ebay for $51.

1991

Dancing Under Water LP (Amoeba, out of print)
1. A Song You Could Cry For (Irwin)
2. Great Potential (Irwin)
3. Rank Strangers (Traditional)
4. Blood And Fire (Irwin)
5. Selfishness In Man (Traditional)
6. Fill My Thermos (Irwin)
7. You're Still On My Mind (L. McDaniel)
8. Your Goddamn Mouth (Irwin)
9. No, That Can Never Be (Irwin)
10. Little Girl And The Dreadful Snake (B. Monroe)
11. Scratches On The Door (M. O'Bannon)
12. Wild And Blue (J. Sherrill)
13. Annabelle Lee (B. Neuwirth)
14. Dark As A Dungeon (M. Travis)
"No, That Can Never Be", the track that got dropped for the Thrill Jockey reissue, is a folky tune that sounds like it belongs on the debut rather than this one - definitely the least country of the fourteen. Maybe that's why it was removed.

Your Goddamned Mouth 7" (1 1/4 York Records, out of print)
1. Your Goddamned Mouth (Irwin)
How is it possible a song can be so archetypically honky-tonk, while simultaneously smashing honky-tonk's conventions to bits?
2. War Pigs (Iommi/Osbourne/Butler/Ward)
Wow, this streamlined and dignified version of "War Pigs" is great, and totally removed from the cartoon that is Black Sabbath.

Here are the liner notes from the back cover: "Janet Beveridge Bean, (courtesy of Atlantic Records) vocals and guitar. Dave Gay, upright bass. Catherine Irwin, vocals, guitar and dulcimer. Mathew O'Bannon, slide guitar and engineering. Recorded in July 1990 at Artists Recording Service, Louisville, Kentucky. That alot to Bob Hunter, Keith Holland and Bruno Johnson. 1 1/4 York Records, P.O. Box 146472 Chicago, Illinois 60614."

On May 29, 2006, a green-vinyl copy of this single sold on ebay for $31.05.


Keep on the Sunny Side: A Tribute to the Carter Family LP (Amoeba, out of print) A collection of Carter Family covers, featuring Freakwater's versions of "Lover's Return", "No Telephone in Heaven", and "Broken-Hearted Lover". Janet and Rick Rizzo also sing "Lonesome for You", and Michael O'Bannon, who wrote several songs Freakwater recorded, sings "Lu Lu Walls" with Tari O'Bannon and Janet, with Rick on guitar. Two thousand copies were produced. MORE INFO


Dancing Under Water / Freakwater CD (Amoeba, out of print)
The first two Freakwater albums lumped together on CD. The front cover of the debut LP is on the back of this one. One thousand, five hundred copies exist. On July 5, 2007, a copy of this CD sold on ebay for $31.01.

1993

Feels Like The Third Time LP (Thrill Jockey, in print)
1. My Old Drunk Friend (Irwin)
2. Put My Little Shoes Away (traditional)
3. Forgettable Song (Irwin)
4. Crazy Man (Irwin)
5. Pale Horse (Bailes/Staggs)
6. You Make Me (N. Lowe)
7. You've Never Been This Far Before (C. Twitty)
8. Dream Girl (Irwin)
9. Sleeping On Hold (Bean)
10. Amelia Earhart (D. McEnry)
11. Are You Ready (Irwin)
12. Lullaby (Irwin)
I'm guessing the album title has something to do with their third attempt to record their debut album, since Amoeba seized their first two records and would not let Freakwater have the masters until 1997. The person in the cover photo is Jenny Cattlett, a friend of the band. Catherine's second or third great song, "My Old Drunk Friend", is on this one, "Forgetable Song" is anything but, and "Are You Ready" preaches a cynical secular sermon. BUY IT



My Old Drunk Friend 7" (Thrill Jockey, out of print)
1. My Old Drunk Friend (Irwin)
2. Kentucky (Ira & Charlie Louvin)
There were different sleeves produced for this single - the slight variation of the Feels Like the Third Time LP and also a screenprinted image on a yellow, purple or green background - perhaps there are additional colors? The B-side was recorded in Janet's living room.

1994

Insurgent Country Vo1. 1: For a Life of Sin LP (Bloodshot, in print) Compilation featuring Freakwater's "My Old Drunk Friend". BUY IT


Jesus Built a Ship To Sing A Song To (Kokopop, out of print) Jeff Lescher of the band Green and Janet Bean perform 12 Gram Parsons songs. Janet sings lead on "She" and "Luxury Liner".

1995

June 6, 1994 LP (Glitterhouse, out of print)
1. A Song You Could Cry For (Irwin)
2. Are You Ready (Irwin)
3. Dream Girl (Irwin)
4. Childish Love (Ira & Charlie Louvin)
5. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (Nelson)
6. My Old Drunk Friend (Irwin)
7. Little Girl and the Dreadful Snake (Monroe)
8. Kentucky (Ira & Charlie Louvin)
9. Forgettable Song (Irwin)
10. Rank Strangers (A. Brumley)
11. Crazy Man (Ira & Charlie Louvin)
12. Put My Little Shoes Away (traditional)
13. Lullaby (Irwin)
14. Family Tradition (Irwin/Bean), mislabeled as "Count Me Out"
This live recording documents the last show of Freakwater's month-long tour of Europe that year. Bob Egan, the hired gun who played pedal steel for them at that time, writes on his web site of how he suffered an emotional breakdown prior to the show, so I guess the folks in the band had had their fill of each other by that point. Fortunately, frayed nerves don't show on the recording - it's wonderful. 1000 copies exist. On February 13th, 2005, a copy of this disc sold on ebay for $107.51.


Old Paint LP (Thrill Jockey, in print)
1. Gravity (Freakwater)
2. Smoking Daddy (Freakwater)
3. Gone To Stay (Freakwater)
4. Little Black Train (Woody Guthrie)
5. Waitress Song (Freakwater)
6. My One Desire (Dorsey Burnette)
7. White Rose (Freakwater)
8. Out Of This World (Loudon Wainwright)
9. Kentucky House (Freakwater)
10. Hero/Heroine (Freakwater)
11. Ugly Man (Freakwater)
12. Burying Geraldine (Sean Garrison)
Prior to recording this one, the band must have said to themselves: Okay, we have really got our shit together, now what are we going to do with it? Old Paint effortlessly carries you along (especially if you are a melancholiac!). Note the change in songwriting credits from "Irwin" or "Bean" to "Freakwater". BUY IT

Here's the promotional pressing of Old Paint (THRILL 022-PR) which came in a textured, brown cardboard gatefold sleeve.

Agent_lance_link_secret_chimp lays plain the inspiration for "White Rose": The song was written to honor a band of young German intellectuals who resisted Hitler's tyranny and paid for it with their lives. You can read all about them at this terrific web site.


South Of Cincinnati 7" (Thrill Jockey, out of print)
1. South Of Cincinnati (D. Yoakam)
2. Count Me Out (Karras/D. Gay)
The text on the cover reads, "It was in the late 90's when the boll weevil crossed the Rio Grande into Texas. Since then every cotton-growing state has been invaded by these destructive black bugs, and each state has sung its own version of the depredation wrought by them." Great song. The B-side is hilarious, with Dave singing lead!


You Are What you Shoot (Out of print) Mother Jones magazine compilation featuring Freakwater's cover of "Out Among the Stars" as its last track. "Stars" was written in 1977 by Adam Mitchell, who, most famously, co-wrote many songs for the rock band KISS. The song tells of a man who robs a liquor store, then, longing for the release death will bring, waits for the law to come "with guns a-blazin'". This cut was recorded by Ben Andrews for Ramcat Productions in Louisville, Kentucky on September 5th, 1994, along with support musicians Steve Cooley (banjo) and Mike Schroder (mandolin), who provide a very tender, bluegrassy accompaniment unlike the sound of any Freakwater LP. "Stars" has also been recorded by Merle Haggard, Hazel Dickens, and Waylon Jennings. Proceeds from this compilation were split between Mother Jones and the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. BUY IT



Half-Cocked movie soundtrack (Matador, In print) Featuring Freakwater's "My Old Drunk Friend"; further, Ken vh points out that the double LP version of this soundtrack also has Catherine performing "Crazy Man" alone on her guitar. (Catherine has a non-speaking part in this film! She can be seen for just under a minute playing "My Old Drunk Friend".)



Howl - A Farewell Compilation of Unreleased Songs (Glitterhouse, out of print) Compilation featuring Freakwater's "Lullaby" from Glitterhouse's release of the band's performance in Germany, June 6, 1994. MORE INFO

1996

American Songbook CD (Volume, out of print) This various-artists compilation was issued in July of '96, but the recording of "Lonesome Sound" included on it almost certainly dates back to the "Feels Like the First Time" sessions. Clocking in at two minutes longer than the version on the debut LP, Janet again sings the lyrics of Michael O'Bannon. This "Lonesome Sound"'s sad waltz could be considered a prototype for songs the band learned to write so well later on down the road, and a perfect early example of the deep melancholy that has come to be Freakwater's signature sound.

Cowpunks (Vinyl Junkie, out of print) Compilation featuring Freakwater covering Richard Thompson. "Withered and Died" has a Janet vocal; Catherine does not sing on the track. I think it's from the Feels Like-era. More greatness from Freakwater - a really sweet and sad performance, like "Sleeping on Hold", but doubly-potent. Definitely worth looking for (good luck finding it). MORE INFO

This is the reissue of the 1991 Amoeba LP, remixed in 1996 by Bundy K. Brown. Note that the track "No, That Can Never Be" is not included this time around. Also, the songwriting credits on tracks 3 and 5 were revised for this printing. BUY IT

1998

Springtime LP (Thrill Jockey, in print)
1. Picture In My Mind (Freakwater)
2. Louisville Lip (Freakwater)
3. Twisted Wire (Sean Garrison)
4. Washed In The Blood (Freakwater)
5. Binding Twine (Freakwater)
6. One Big Onion (Freakwater)
7. Harlan (Freakwater)
8. Jesus Year (Freakwater)
9. Scamp (Freakwater)
10. Lorraine (Freakwater)
11. Slowride (Freakwater)
12. Heaven (Freakwater)
13. Flat Hand (Freakwater)
Rooted in everything that makes mountain music so great, Springtime is probably where a new Freakwater fan should begin, because it's as enjoyable on the first listen as the hundredth. Much of the credit can be given to supporting musician Max Conrad Johnston, who is nearly ubiquitous on this record. "Louisville Lip", a heartbreaking story of Muhammad Ali's rage against racism, may be the saddest, most moving song ever put down. Also, seemingly out of nowhere, Janet contributes "Binding Twine", one of the most distinguished songs in the Freakwater repertoire.

This album's title was inspired by a matchbook advertisement for an Athens, Georgia bail bonding company with the tagline "Where It's Always Springtime!". So this "Springtime", perhaps, means more than just the season of the year - it may also mean release from what contains you. BUY IT

In Flux Us (AuGoGo, in print) A Thrill Jockey label-roster compilation featuring Springtime's "Binding Twine" and their cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Dollar Bill Blues". BUY IT


Exposed Roots: The Best of Alt Country (K-Tel, out of print) Compiliation featuring Springtme's "Picture in my Mind".

1999

End Time LP (Thrill Jockey, in print)
1. Good For Nothing (Freakwater)
2. Cloak Of Frogs (Freakwater)
3. Sick, Sick, Sick (Freakwater)
4. Just Like You (Freakwater)
5. Cheap Watch (Freakwater)
6. My History (Freakwater)
7. When The Leaves Begin To Fall (Freakwater)
8. Written In Gold (Freakwater)
9. Dog Gone Wrong (Freakwater)
10. Queen Bee (Freakwater)
11. Raised Skin (Freakwater)
12. All Life Long (Freakwater)
End Time was voted the third best country release of 1999 by Amazon.com, and for good reason: Of all their albums, it's the best example of what makes Freakwater so special and groundbreaking. Janet's voice and songwriting are both, at last, in full bloom - "Written in Gold" and "Just Like You" are woven from strange and divine thread. BUY IT


Hellbound 7" (Thrill Jockey, out of print)
1. Hellbound
2. Lorraine (live)
A raucous, rocking track. A favorite. BUY IT


Pure Diamond Gold by The Sadies (Bloodshot, in print)
Catherine sings lead vocals on the song "Eastwinds". BUY IT


Poor Little Knitter on the Road: A Tribute to the Knitters (Bloodshot, in print) Tribute album featuring The Sadies with Catherine Irwin performing "Walkin' Cane", the most joyful song there is with Catherine's voice on it. BUY IT

2001

Chicago 2018. . .It's Gonna Change (Clearspot, in print) Compilation featuring Freakwater's "All Life Long Remix". BUY IT


Ease Down the Road by Bonnie Prince Billy aka Will Oldham (Palace/Drag City, in print) Catherine sings backup on "Rich Wife Full of Happiness". BUY IT

2002

"The Executioner's Last Songs" by the Pine Valley Cosmonauts (Bloodshot, in print) Featuring the Pine Valley Cosmonauts with Janet providing lead vocal on Charlie Pride's "The Snakes Crawl at Night". Benefits the Illinois Death Penalty Moratorium Project. BUY IT


The Bottle Let Me Down: Songs for Bumpy Wagon Rides (Bloodshot, in print) A collection of songs "for children and arrested adolescents everywhere" with Freakwater performing "Little Red Riding Hood", a song made famous by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. Features the great Jon Spiegel on guitar and the whole band making like wolves and sheep - very funny! Come to think of it, it's also the only Freakwater track with Janet playing on a full drum kit. BUY IT


The Unholy Trio (DIY, out of print) Morgan Geer, David Wayne Gay, and Lance Diablo cooked up this shitkicker. Featuring a countryfied version of Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise", plus Elvis' "Viva Las Vegas", a live "Count Me Out" and some other choice covers and originals. It's rough around the edges but as fun as a lost weekend (& more memorable) - just try to ignore the satanic pentagrams if you can.


Saved by the Great Yellow Bird by Sean Garrison (Ear X-tacy, in print) This is not a Freakwater LP, but an important peripheral: Louisville artist Sean Garrison, whose song "Twisted Wire" was covered by Freakwater on 1998's Springtime LP, released in 2002 Saved by the Great Yellow Bird, a sprawling, double-CD document of his to-hell-and-back way of songwriting. Sean's work and Freakwater's fit snugly together like adjacent puzzle pieces - hopelessly bleak, yet tuneful enough to keep you from driving into the ditch. I'm grateful he's allowed me to share the original version of "Twisted Wire" here - to download "Wrapped in Wire" from Sean Garrison, right-click on the link provided, click "Save Target As", then instruct your computer as to where to store the mp3 file. download If you like what you hear, purchase the CD from ear X-tacy.


Cut Yourself A Switch Catherine Irwin's solo LP (Thrill Jockey, in print)
1. Needle in a Haystack (Irwin)
2. Cry Our Little Eyes Out (Irwin)
3. Hex (Irwin)
4. Dirty Little Snowman (Irwin)
5. Power of my Love (Giant/Baum/Kaye)
6. Will You Miss Me (A.P. Carter)
7. My Old Unlucky Home Far Away (Irwin)
8. Swan Dive (Irwin)
9. Don't We All Have the Right to be Wrong (Miller)
10. Paint the River Red (Irwin)
11. The Only Hell My Momma Ever Raised (Kemp/Vickery/Borchers)
12. You Belong to Me (King/Price/Stewart)
Essential. Unspeakably beautiful and sad, like a flower thoughtlessly blown about as it blooms alongside some busy highway. BUY IT

2003

The Slaughter Rule (Bloodshot, in print) Film soundtrack featuring Freakwater's cover of Charlie and Ira Louvin's "When I Stop Dreaming". BUY IT

Dragging Wonder Lake Janet Bean and the Concertina Wire (Thrill Jockey, in print)
1. Suddenly (Bean)
2. All Fool's Day (Bean)
3. The Bluebird's Spindle (Bean)
4. One Shot (Bean)
5. Cutters, Dealers, Cheaters (Bean)
6. Paper Thin (Bean)
7. The God Song [That's Why I Love Mankind] (R Newman)
8. The Purple Heart (Bean)
9. Soldier (N Young)
10. Spout of Spite (Bean)
11. Glass of a Stranger (Bean)
12. Dragging Wonder Lake (Bean)
13. My Little Brigadoon (Bean)
It's surprising how deeply Dragging Wonder Lake gets under the skin, settling pleasantly in the psyche. Perhaps that sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it's not meant to be. It was just hard to guess: How exactly would a Janet Bean solo project sound?

Assured, elegant, and cosmopolitan - that's how. There are just so many different, interesting things going on, most notably the low, cradling cello in league with an intoxicating, syncopated piano. Lyrically, Lake delivers a valuable cache of fairly dark messages, sometimes cleverly wrapped in upbeat tunes. Skillfully sewn together from rare and varied parts, Dragging Wonder Lake is a creature that breathes with life. BUY IT

2004

Sailin' On compilation (Louisville Lip, out of print) leads with Catherine Irwin and Morgan Geer's Unholy Trio on "I Lie to You", which is a leftover from the Cut Yourself a Switch sessions (you can stream it at the Unholy Trio page at myspace). Also includes Sean Garrison and the Five Finger Discount's "Little Ice Queen" as well as 14 additional tracks from other Louisville artists. 200 handmade copies were produced and sold by Shawn Severs at a February 20th benefit show for Wellspring, which "works to promote the recovery of persons with severe and persistent mental illness".

2005

Thinking of You (Thrill Jockey, in print)
1. Right Brothers (Freakwater)
2. Cricket vs. Ant (Freakwater)
3. Buckets of Oil (Freakwater)
4. So Strange (Freakwater)
5. Loserville (Freakwater)
6. Cathy Ann (Freakwater)
7 . Double Clutch (Freakwater)
8 . Sap (Freakwater)
9 . Jack the Knife (Freakwater)
10 . Jewel (Freakwater)
11. Upside Down (Freakwater)
12. Hi Ho Silver (Freakwater)
Perfect, from Catherine's whistle-through-the-teeth in "Right Brothers" to Janet's soaring wail in "Hi Ho Silver", and every little nuance in between. BUY IT

2007

Plum (Thrill Jockey, in print)
Recall Sheila Sachs’ poison-greeting-card art for Freakwater’s 2005 Thinking of You LP, and you will understand the packaging of Plum, the Thrill Jockey 7” vinyl-only box set, which she also designed. (This collection contains twenty Thrill Jockey artists covering the songs of seventeen Thrill Jockey artists). The collection presents itself pleasingly, as if it were a box of woman’s stationery - open the lid, and you’ll see on the records’ sleeves pictures of fruits on a creamy white background - some halved, showing their pits, some still clustered together on their branches.  But something is wrong here:  These plums are overripe and unappetizing; not completely wilted, but definitely past the point where you’d want to take a bite.  Finally, when you start spinning the discs, the metaphor hits - this is music similarly neglected, well past the point of desirability by consumers who hunger instead for something mass-produced and familiar.  For those who actually have the stomach to ingest Plum, there’s nothing left to do but let these neglected fruits ferment and try to get a little high off the bitter brew.

Freakwater bring their version of The Zincs’ “Passengers” here.  Recorded by Paul Oldham in Louisville, these two-and-a half minutes give us the first-ever (and uncredited) harmonica on a Freakwater track. Also, Janet Bean plays her new mandola, possibly pointing the way to the sound of any future Freakwater recordings.

Freakwater enjoys the distinction of being covered three times on these records, rather than just once like the rest. Thalia Zedek fleshes out “Flat Hand” (from Springtime) – singing the quiet parts more quietly and the louder parts more loudly, sounding a little like something from Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night. Her effort treats Freakwater’s music as a blueprint, loaded with potential and possibilities for expansion.  Bobby Conn’s “Washed in the Blood” is, (shudder), disco-esque, with Electric Light Orchestra-violin parts and plinking children’s toy instruments.  Is he an admirer who wishes to present Freakwater in his own idiom, or is his goal total mockery and ridicule?  Considering that it’s Bobby Conn, the answer to both questions is probably “yes”.  Meanwhile, Califone, the band that supported Freakwater and helped make Thinking of You happen, give “Jewel” their signature earthy, airy treatment. They don’t transform the song so much as simply present it in their own way. 

Taken as a whole, Plum is the kiss-off letter that will never reach its intended reader: The music consumer who has no consciousness of the independents. Ironically, it’s up to the record-bin divers with the dusty analog equipment to drink up the bitterness this little box offers. It’s alright, though; it’s a homebrew many have learned to appreciate.  There are plenty of people who like their fruit from the pot nine days old, so there is a place for Plum. BUY IT